


Why the Sides have a Movie Night

by MaddieWrites



Category: Sanders Sides, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Deception, Experiments, Fluff, Happy Ending, Logan is amazing and needs more love, Manipulation, Panic Attacks, This is probably terrible so come in with low expectations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-04-29 21:19:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14481402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaddieWrites/pseuds/MaddieWrites
Summary: Once a week, all the sides get together and have a movie night. Ever wonder how that tradition started? (Probably not because I just made it up) Well this is the story behind it!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This hasn't been proofread yet, and I'm warning you because I love you. I wrote this at like three in the morning so don't judge me.

Logan had been on a three day work binge when it happened. He was high strung, whole body tense to the point where he was trembling. He was close to a panic attack and a full blown emotional crash, but he hadn't crashed yet, so he kept working. His mind was clouded, so he didn't hear anyone approach until they touched him. Logan jumped, nearly throwing his laptop.  
"Relax." A voice purred from behind him. It was Deceit, he had his hands on Logan's shoulders.  
"Don't touch me." Logic snapped.  
"You're so tense." He started rubbing the muscle beneath his hands and Logan's breath caught in his throat.  
"That's right, just like that." Deceit soothed. He could feel Logan relaxing, giving in, letting him take over. It felt good, and he was tired, so why shouldn't he let Deceit rub his shoulders?  
"Why don't you come upstairs with me? We'll get out out of that shirt and I'll do your back." He purred. And that sounded really good, so Logan agreed. He followed Deceit upstairs, to his room, and let Deceit remove his tie.  
"Take your shirt off, lie down." He summoned a bottle of massage oil. Logan undid the buttons on his shirt, pulling it off and laying down before he could reevaluate the situation. Wait, maybe he should reevaluate the situation.  
"It's okay, I won't tell the others." Deceit smiled warmly.  
"But..." His hands looked so inviting. "Promise?" Logan asked weakly.  
"Cross my heart. Relax, Lo."  
The nickname made him shiver, and he nodded, laying down on his stomach. Deceit started immediately, the room filling with the scent of lavender when he opened the bottle of oil. It smelled heavenly, and his touch felt the same. The initial contact made him shiver again, tensing at first, but reassuring words from Deceit helped him stay relaxed as the other side worked the tension away.  
"Not to be rude, but just as a scientific observation, you need more physical contact in your life." Deceit remarked, catching Logan's interest.  
"What makes you say that?" He was certainly one for a good scientific observation.  
"Physical contact is important to humans, for emotional growth and development. With so little of it..."  
"We aren't humans and we're done developing." But he did have a point. "What makes you think I don't experience physical contact regularly?"  
Deceit trailed a finger down his spine, making him arch up. He pulled his hands away and Logan couldn't help but whine at the loss. When he made contact again, Logan made a keening noise. Point made.  
"And you think I'm wrong?" Deceit asked. "You don't need physical contact? That wouldn't be beneficial?"  
"Correct." Logan was sticking with his statements.  
"Well I propose an experiment."  
"An experiment?"  
"Yes, you add a significant amount of physical contact into your day, let's say three hugs, and we'll see what happens. If my hypothesis is correct, you'll experience noticeable positive changes." Deceit knew he couldn't resist an experiment.  
"And if mine is correct, there will be little to no positive change. How long should we try it for?"  
"Oh, maybe a month. Three weeks. Three hugs a day for three weeks, how does that sound?"  
"It sounds like I'm going to prove you wrong." Logan smirked, biting his lip as Deceit pressed down again.  
"Alright, we'll start the experiment tomorrow." He agreed.  
"Wait, wait how am I supposed to obtain a hug thrice daily?" Logan asked.  
"I'm sure you can get them from the other sides, can't you."  
Logan didn't answer.  
"I thought you were close. You aren't even comfortable hugging them?"  
"Well, physical contact isn't really-. I mean we aren't-."  
"It's okay, you don't have to explain it." Deceit soothed. "I'd be willing to provide three hugs a day, if that's a suitable means of acquiring them."  
"Alright." Logan nodded. "Three weeks starting tomorrow."  
"Alright, but for today you can relax." Deceit moved his hands up, rubbing just under his shoulder blades. Logan groaned, then blushed red.  
"It's okay, I don't mind. Just let go."  
And he did. He melted under Deceit's touch, let himself get lost in it. He was never this relaxed, never this calm. It was nice, really nice, so he gave in just like that. If he'd known how much trouble this would cause later, he would've walked out right then. But Logan didn't know yet, so there he remained, letting an enemy treat him like a friend.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The experiment begins.

"So, ready to begin the experiment?" Deceit asked.  
"I'm not sure this is really a good idea." Logan admitted.  
"You want a control group or something?"  
"No, but I'm certain the others would not approve of this. I'm not sure I approve of it either. I mean-." He looked up at Deceit. Deceit, who had tricked them, pretended to be Patton, tried to make Thomas lie, undoubtedly hurt Virgil in the past... And then Deceit hugged him, and all of that melted away. Logan hadn't realized how good it felt to be hugged; this might even be his first hug ever. He wasn't sure what to do, he could hear Deceit's heartbeat, feel the warmth of his body. Logan cautiously wrapped his arms around the other, scared he'd do something wrong and the hug would end. That only made Deceit hold him tighter, which was amazing. They stood there for what had to be a ridiculous amount of time before Logan finally pulled away. Neither said anything for a moment.  
"Was that okay?" Deceit asked softly. Logan nodded, feeling incredibly small and helpless. It wasn't a bad feeling, but it was new.   
"Okay, you get two more today, unless you want to change the number."  
"R-Right." He blushed. "I think we'll leave it at a total of three for now."  
"Don't forget to record any positive changes, okay?"  
Logan nodded.   
"Perfect, come get me when you want the other two." Deceit smiled warmly, then ducked out. Wow. Logan couldn't wait to get the other two hugs. 

As the days ticked by, Logan began to observe positive changes, just like Deceit said he would. He wrote them down in a small notebook he'd taken to carrying around. Logan's mood improved, he grew more patient, he was able to empathize, and look at things from the other's points of view instead of just snapping that he was right, he was more willing to hear the other's ideas, and put up with things he didn't like because it made them happy. All of this just because he was being hugged? Logan wouldn't believe it if he wasn't seeing it for himself. Most of it could be chalked up to the mood shift; happier people were more willing to work with other people, but why was he happier? Logan wasn't sure. It had something to do with the hugs, but what about them made him so happy? He decided he didn't care, as long as he kept getting hugs. Flipping back through his notes, Logan realized with dread that this was the last week of the experiment, and that week was already halfway over. He had three days left before he had to write up a conclusion, and then things would go back to the way they were before. Logan liked hugs, he liked being happy, and he wanted it to keep happening. He could probably extend the experiment another week, say he wanted more data, but what would he do when that week was up? Could he ask one of the others for hugs? Three times a day for the rest of his life? No, that was illogical... Maybe he could just talk to Deceit. The other had been understanding enough so far. Logan decided that talking to Deceit was the best plan of action. He would carry it out as best as he could tomorrow. 

"So, today is the last day of the experiment. Did you get good data?" Deceit asked, pulling Logan into a hug.   
"Y-Yeah." He blushed. "Physical contact /is/ extremely beneficial, as you hypothesized. I've noticed many positive changes, such as better mood, i-increased patience, heightened ability to..." Logan sighed and relaxed against Deceit, breathing in his scent. Oh, he needed to talk to Deceit, figure out the 'end of experiment' situation.  
"D-Deceit, can we talk?"  
"Sure." He didn't pull back. "What's on your mind?"  
"Well, I've noticed-. You see..."  
"Hey, let's sit down." Deceit sat on the bed and Logan followed suit. "What's going on, Lo? You can talk to me." He put an arm around the logical side.   
"I mean, I just don't want this to stop. I'm not one for feelings, but hugs are... Good. I enjoy them very much, and-."  
"And you want me to keep hugging you?"  
"Well, yes but..." How could he possibly say this?  
"You're worried that this will give me leverage over you? I'll have something to blackmail you with?"  
"Well yes. I'm not wrong to think that, am I?"  
"No, of course not. I understand the concern, but I would never use this to blackmail you. I know how it can feel to be starved of affection, and if I can help you overcome such feelings, I'd be happy to." Deceit purred. Logan nodded, mumbling his thanks.   
"If you ever need a hug, don't be afraid to ask." Deceit smiled.  
Logan nodded. Alright, this was okay. Everything was going to be fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You were all so amazing in the comment section of chapter one so I'm posting this chapter early! I love you all!!! (Please comment some more, they really make me so happy!)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you’re alone, you can truly focus on your thoughts, and you must be very careful of that, because you never know what could attack when your head is clear.

This was bad. Very bad. It had seemed so okay when he was with Deceit, but now that they were apart, he could think clearly again. This was a bad idea. Deceit had leverage over Logan, and that felt awful. It terrified him, and the worst part was he wanted to go to Deceit for comfort, despite the fact that the side was actually the source of the problem. It was ironic in a way Logan would've found funny if he wasn't so scared. Now it was only a matter of time before Deceit started asking for favors, and threatening to stop touching him if he said no. Hell, he'd already started asking for favors, now that Logan thought about it. He'd been looking to Logan for backup in arguments, and he asked for small things all the time. He was testing the waters, seeing how far he could push Logan. Oh god, he could feel his chest tightening. Was he having a panic attack? Logan wasn't sure. He thought he might be dying. His mind was racing, he couldn't stop the thoughts. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. 

Virgil hadn't even been that anxious, but he was suddenly thrown into a panic attack. That was fine, well not fine, since he was in the kitchen with Roman and Patton. Virgil fell to his knees, gasping and clutching his throat. The plate he'd been holding shattered. Patton ran over, asking if he was choking. Virgil shook his head, grabbing Patton's wrist. He started hyperventilating, pulling his knees tight to his chest and trying to gain control over his thoughts. They were running wild, telling him he was dying, something was really wrong. No, it was just a panic attack. It was temporary, and it would pass soon. He could feel Patton's arms around him, Roman was rubbing his back. He was in the kitchen. Okay, he could see the fridge, that burnt spot on the ceiling Patton wouldn't talk about, the shards of the plate, the floor, and Patton's blue shirt. He could feel Patton's arms squeezing gently, Roman's hands on his back trying to soothe him, his hoodie against his skin, and the chill of the kitchen tiles he was sitting on. He could hear Patton talking gently, Roman's steady breathing, and the air conditioning shutting off. He could smell the cookies Patton had just baked, and the cologne Roman was wearing. He could taste cookies, as he'd just had one. Virgil slowly raised his head, getting his breathing under control.  
"You okay kiddo?" Patton asked. Virgil was about to nod when a new wave of panic hit. Thomas was having a panic attack. The other two were scared now, feeling the effects of it. But... But Virgil had calmed down, the attack had ended, so what had freaked Thomas out? He was too overwhelmed to think about it, clinging to Patton. Roman was pressed against his back now, holding them both. He was trying to protect them, but there was nothing to shield them from. Just panic.

Roman had held it together pretty well, Virgil could tell he was rather shaken, but he'd narrowly escaped an attack of his own. Patton was in pretty bad shape, but recovering quickly. Virgil decided he would be alright too. He could feel Thomas summoning them.  
"Is everyone alright going to see Thomas?" Roman asked. Virgil decided he was and nodded, but Patton shook his head.  
"Alright, I'll stay with Patton. Are you okay on your own with Logan?" Roman helped Virgil to his feet.  
"Yeah, make sure you both drink some water." He let Thomas pull him into the common area, expecting to see Logan standing in his usual place too. It was only him and Thomas.  
"What just happened? Where is everyone?" Thomas looked pretty wrecked, tear stained face and rumpled clothing. Virgil knew he didn't look much better.  
"I'll get Pat and Roman, you handle Logan." Virgil decided, ducking out.  
"Is everything okay?" Roman asked.  
"Thomas is pretty freaked, he wants everyone there. He's a mess too, and I think we should go."  
They looked to Patton for confirmation.  
"Okay." His voice was shaky. "We can go."  
They all ducked out and popped up in the living room, where Thomas was waiting with Logan.  
"Okay, what?" Thomas asked. "What was that?"  
"I don't know. I was fine and then all of a sudden I had an attack out of nowhere. I calmed down, then something triggered you and I had another one. So did Roman and Patton." Virgil explained. "I didn't set it off."  
"I don't think it was me either. I was just baking cookies." Patton said softly, like he didn't trust his voice.  
"I was helping bake cookies." Roman agreed. "I don't think it was either of us."  
All eyes went to Thomas.  
"Did something you were thinking about trigger one?" Virgil asked.  
"No, I was just scrolling through Tumblr. I was answering questions about Joan and how they were doing. I mean, I don't think it was me. It came on so suddenly."  
"Logan, are you okay? You look like you're going to have another panic attack." Virgil commented. "You should sit down for a minute."  
Logan sat on the floor, loosening his tie.  
"Let's all collectively take a deep breath." Virgil decided. "Whoever got freaked out enough to give Thomas an attack, it's okay. We'll take care of whatever's going on together. I promise it's going to be okay." He knew exactly what to say because he knew exactly what he would want to hear. "Just tell us what's going on and we'll sort it out, simple as that." And he knew there were things that were hard to say, especially in a group setting, but he had hope someone would speak up. It was never fun to suffer in silence.  
Virgil was sort of expecting Patton to pipe up and say seeing Virgil have an attack really scared him, or something like that. Maybe Roman would remember thinking about something that could've made Thomas have an attack. The last person he expected to say anything was Logan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this took so long. I’ve been kind of depressed and I’m still not happy with this chapter, but you deserve an update because you’re all amazing.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And all is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this took so long. I just wasn’t happy with it, and I’m still not, so I hope you like it more than I do!

"Physical contact, although hypothesized differently, is extremely beneficial. Positive benefits include better mood, increased patience, and more cooperation." Logan began.  
"Hypothesized? Logan, did you do an experiment?" Patton asked.  
"Yes, on whether or not physical contact was beneficial."  
"Why? Wait, who was giving you physical contact?" He asked, knowing it hadn't been any of them.  
"Well... I mean I-." How could he tell them. “That’s not important.”  
"It was Deceit, wasn't it?" Virgil signed. "I knew he was up to something, I could feel it. What did he do?"  
"Well, he talked me into an experiment, of sorts, involving physical contact." Logan admitted.  
"And now he's somehow blackmailing you with it? That's the usual progression." Virgil asked.  
"Yes. And it's not like I'm comfortable just /asking/ one of you for hugs. I'm not good with emotions, and all this physical contact stuff is hard." Logan admitted.   
"Logan, you should've just told one of us. We would've been more than happy to help you. You didn't need to get tangled up with Deceit." Thomas sighed.  
"He's hardly the only one in this situation. Physical affection can be nice, but... We aren't exactly the most open people, and asking for hugs is scary. I mean, we don't really interact a whole lot, why would any of us be comfortable asking the others for hugs?" Virgil spoke up. And he had a point.   
"Well we'll interact more then! I propose a movie night. Every Friday, we all get together and watch a movie! Wednesday can be game night, and we need to start eating dinner as a family." Patton decided. "That means you too Thomas."  
"Really? I have to play a game every Wednesday?" Virgil asked.  
"Well no one will make you if you really don't want to, but I think it would be nice."  
"I agree with Patton." Logan said. "Interacting more would be beneficial for everyone."  
"It's settled then. And Logan, we'll make sure you get plenty of hugs." Patton smiled.  
"Thank you, Patton." He blushed.   
"Group hug?" Roman asked, looking to Virgil for permission. He nodded and let the prince pull him and the others in. And this wasn’t the end. This didn’t mean Deceit wouldn’t tempt Logan anymore, and it didn’t mean he would be completely comfortable asking the others for hugs, but it was the beginning. This was the beginning of Logan really opening up to the others, of Roman and Virgil getting along, of a family growing stronger together. And there was a long journey ahead, but that was okay, because they’d help each other through it. Logan couldn’t be happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this story!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments motivate me to upload faster, and if that's not a good enough reason to comment, they also make me happy : )


End file.
